Ski Runs Which Make You Go OMG, WTF!

Ski Runs Which Make You Go OMG, WTF!

Those who enjoy black skin runs generally tend to be natural thrill seekers, but there are some super extreme slopes out there that will give even the most seasoned daredevil a fright. If you’re looking for some ski runs that will challenge you to the point of expletives then there are plenty of hair-raising options to choose from. Here are some of the scariest runs that you can hurl yourself down, from vertical drops, to massive mogul fields.

USA – Jackson’s Hole – Corbet’s Couloir.

At Jackson’s Hole in the Teton Mountain Range in Wyoming is the kind of run that must be on the list of every skier who claims a certain level of expertise. On the face of it, there’s no real reason for Corbet’s to qualify as ‘scary’ – the run is never more than 40 degrees steep and never narrower than 15 metres wide. However, to get to the rest of the run you have to survive the start, and that’s a vertical jump – sideways. It’s an easier start when there’s plenty of snow, as this makes the drop into something of a slope, but head up there when the cover is light and you’ll experience the full vertigo-inducing fall.

Austria – Maryhofen – Harakiri.

Although fairly short and sweet, Harakiri is a pretty terrifying ride for even the most seasoned pro. Located on the 2000m Penken Mountain, it basically drops straight down towards the town of Mayrhofen below at an angle of 78 degrees in places. Deserving of its reputation as sorting the chickens from the real daredevils, this run is definitely not one for the faint hearted, or those with an issue with vertical drops.

Canada – Sunshine Village – Delirium Dive.

If the scariness of a run is measured by the entry requirements for just getting on the lift then Delirium Drive definitely tops them all. If you don’t have an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel then you’re not going to get anywhere near the WTF-steep slope on the side of Goat’s Eye Mountain.

France – Courchevel Trois Vallees – Grand Couloir.

The Grand Couloir in the Trois Vallees ski region is enormously difficult to reach and only those willing to negotiate a narrow ridge with sheer drops on either side, and 200 metres of slippery ice, can even get to the start of what is undoubtedly one of the most famous couloirs in the world’s ski resorts. If you make it along the ridge, you can expect a knuckle whitening sharp angle chute followed by the kinds of bumps that will make your bones shake.

Switzerland – Verbier – Mont Fort and Tortin.

This one is for those who love a good set of moguls, as you can enjoy around 900 metres of bone shaking bumps travelling vertically down on these two runs, which make up the longest in Verbier’s valleys. The run is rated as intermediate when there’s plenty of snow to smooth out the bumps, but when there’s less cover it’s one for the pros.

If you’re the kind of person who is never going to be happy with a simple slide down a gentle slope and then the rest of the day at the bar then these challenging ski runs are more than enough to keep you occupied. Just be sure to take plenty of knee supports, painkillers, padding and don’t do the vertical drops with a hangover…